Dry mouth

I'm glad you enjoyed it Jerry the cat, i changed to Real Ale as i found Lager is too gassy, i also enjoy a Guinness. Wine tastes like acid so i avoid that All the best.

                                                      Chris 

I will have to sample this Peter Cheers.

                                              Chris 

Hi Pete,

sorry I didn’t ask yesterday, but do you mind telling me what you were having as calories from the date your treatment ended to when you were having your small meals in September? I seem to have been taking these frescubin supplements for ages now, and they’re nit the easiest.

Hi Lee

I had some problems with weight loss after treatment, my stomach would not tolerate Ensure 2cal for some reason, I ended up in hospital to stabilise my weight. Oncology put me on Jevity feed .... through PEG tube pump 2400 calories a day.

When I got home I was using pump to feed overnight, not ideal but it worked, as I healed and started on small meals I tried Ensure again, orally, on dietitian's advice, was able to keep it down, eventually stopped supplementing meals with Ensure as I was able to maintain my weight normally.

Not easy Lee , rough ride for us.... but we get there 

Peter 

Hi, I can empathise with your saliva issues. I'm 8 weeks out of treatment and the saliva levels are so so irritating. I'm fed up of the same diet constantly, soup, soup and more soup. I can eat a little casserole. Its the combination with the lack of taste that seems to be bringing me down. In fact I feel I'm regressing a little and getting more and more concerned about what I'm putting in my mouth. Its as if I'm going back to when I was struggling to eat. I also seem to wake up every morning with something like phlegm stuck in the back of my throat for hours. I've stopped the ensures, they are revolting. I'm impatient I know. I broke down in a restaurant last week as I couldn't eat a raman. Not my proudest moment. I'm also getting fed up of trifle. I have a spray and chewing gum. I'm going for acupuncture next week, I read that it has helped some people to increase saliva. I'm willing to give it a go. Apologies for the rant. 

Hi Mr Irish

Ranting is often good for the soul....I'm prone to the odd one...or two.

Ensures were too sugary and sickening I was glad to get rid of them....still use a spray (Difflam) and carry a bottle of water at all times ...phlegm is still there but much less noticeable.... my eating is still improving...out at the seaside for a Fish Supper today (Fish and Chips) enjoyed it immensely...washed down with a couple of tins of Irn Bru....

Eating in restaurants can be very daunting for us...I am a much slower eater now....and self-conscious about it.

Dry mouth is still an issue my saliva production is improving but I still have to use Biotene Gel and have a bottle of water by my bedside.

Good luck with the acupuncture

Peter

Thank you Peter 

Hi team,

Doesn't all this make you realise how much social activity is around food and drink?

Trying to get back ti a new normal after diagnosis/surgery/chemo/radiotherapy is daunting.

After surgery and before chemotherapy and radiotherapy, my doctor said go for a pjnt. This was SO important psychologically  to literally "show my face" to the world, scars and all. I barely managed one pint of Guinness.

Meeting people for a meal is hard. I've had occasions where the food has to be picked in advance and it's just not possible to know.

Veg has to be cooked longer. Toast can't be too crunchy.

Last year after radiotherapy, I could only manage ensure 2cal. Supposed to have seven a day but most days it was 4 or 5. Just didnt have the appetite. Swallowing any solid food was almost impossible.

Got good at making smoothies, either with veg or fruit. Ginger and turmeric with apples was a good one.

All that was a year ago.

Now, despite some pain around my jaw and TMJ, I can eat most things unless they're hard.

It WILL improve. Keep the faith. Each new day is a good day.

Good luck

Graham 

Hi we all get creative when eating out I used to find ordering a starter instead of a main then a pudding usually  something with custard helped. I also have been known to order a child menu I explained the reason why and have never been turned down. Yes until you can’t eat we don’t realise how much if a social thing eating  and drinking is an integral,part of living.l,Even now if we’re out with my sister in law she watched every mouthfuls ,go in no matter how many time I tell her some people can’t help,it. Niw at 6 years there’s very little I can’t eat mostly spicy food and for me alcohol no loss as I rarely drunk prior. Atomdiagnosis. 

Yoil.  get there  

Hazel x

Thank you. The boredom of being able to taste so little contributes to the frustration of course. That's going to take time to come back. Who knew how much we depended on saliva.